From TES issue 33 (May 2005)

Series 2. Level 1.
MILDREAD.
Mildread was everything you could ever ask for in a Dungeon witch - ugly, old, loathsome and cackling, with a bubbling cauldron and a stick to prod people with. She was played by Mary Miller, who also played Lillith, and a meeting with either Lillith or Mildread towards the end of level one was a pivotal part of every quest in series 2. Despite the fact that she only appeared on one level in one series, Mildread seems to be a very well-remembered Knightmare character. Her cackling voice and warty appearance helped to make this so, I'm sure, as well as the fact that Mildread was in series 2 quite a lot. She featured in nine of the sixteen episodes, meeting eight dungeoneers during that time, leaving only five for Lillith. Mildread could be very helpful to the quest, but failing to please her could be the team's undoing: "She can be useful, but she's always dangerous." - Treguard.

Mildread was a voice-changer. On a couple of occasions, she spoke using the voice of one of the advisors, trying to direct the dungeoneer into peril. This amusing special-effect was probably created by getting the advisor to record some 'practice directions' before filming, which were then used as Mildread's instructions to the dungeoneer.

Mildread was also a shape-changer, as witnessed during Julian's quest when she turned into Gretel, and Chris's when she turned into Treguard. Mildread also liked to change the shape of her room, disguising her bubbling, smoking cauldron as a wellway, into which she would entice the dungeoneer to step. Mildread was certainly something of an obstacle, but - like Lillith - her help was vital for level one to be successfully completed. This often involved giving her a magical ingredient to turn her cauldron into the real wellway, which Chris did with a sprig of gravewort, Tony did with a jar of ground bats' wings, and Jamie did with a purse of small change: "Wort and worms, make a spell, conjure up a deep dark well!" - Mildread. The first quest of the season ended thanks to Mildread and her well-spells. Martin had not taken a jar of ground toads' legs from the clue room, so he was denied the wellway he needed and then finished off in a mined chamber: "You've got nothing to offer me and I've got nothing to offer you!" - Mildread.

However, Mildread sometimes had other help to offer instead of changing her cauldron into a wellway. She gave Neil's team the word stalactite in exchange for a bottle of potion, but no explanation was given as to its use. As it turned out, the word was a red herring, but the advisors kept getting Neil to say it in sticky situations, right up to his infamous final scene with Cedric. Mildread only ever awarded one spell - RUST - which she gave to Karen as a reward for helping her end an out-of-control broomstick flight, in the final episode of the series. This spell was used to incapacitate the Automatum in the wellway room, and was certainly the most useful help that Mildread ever gave: "Mildread's not everyone's idea of a friend, but there's no doubt she can be useful." - Treguard.

Mildread was a striking character who was involved in many memorable scenes, and she enjoys a long shelf-life disproportionate with her single series appearance. She could help or hinder the quest, but was mainly there to be repulsive and loathsome.

Fear Factor: 7 Definitely a tangible threat.
Killer Instinct: 6 She sent Martin to his death with no qualms.
Humour Rating: 4 She laughed, but more from madness than humour.
Oscar Standard: 9 A convincing performance, totally different from Lillith.

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